International project assignments: 10 tips to be successful

International project assignments – 10 tips to be successful

Due to their short-term nature, international project assignments are quite complex for HR departments, as they often require immediate action under unfamiliar conditions. The following 10 tips, however, will help you better manage international project assignments for your employees and provide more targeted support to the business.

?1.??????Clarify work permit issues

Clarify whether your employee is allowed to work in the country of assignment. Depending on the nationality, the process of obtaining work permits can be complex and costly.

?2.??Foreign tax liability

Provide your employees with tax support if a tax liability abroad cannot be avoided. Depending on the company's policy, this may involve compensation for additional tax costs, assistance from a tax advisor, or at least the explanation of foreign-related salary statements.

?3.??????Social security obligations

Before the assignment abroad, check whether your employees can continue to be insured under the Swiss social security system during the project. Depending on the nationality of the employees, there may be different insurance options or gaps for the same assignment destinations. Intervene in good time if employees would lose their insurance coverage in the Swiss social security system due to (short-term) project assignments.

?4.??????Health insurance

Provide adequate health insurance coverage for the employee and accompanying family members during the assignment abroad. The health insurance should include repatriation to Switzerland respectively the employee's home country.

?5.??????Payroll

Coordinate with the foreign (shadow) payroll for salary payments and fringe benefits (such as rental cars, accommodation, meals) for the correct declaration of taxes and social insurance. Be especially thorough in reviewing the first foreign payroll and don't be afraid to seek assistance from specialists.

?6.??????Cost estimates

Prepare estimates of the employee's expected assignment costs. Clarify with the line manager and the cost center manager whether a foreign assignment is still reasonable, even considering all hidden and additional costs.

?7.??????Supplement employment contract

If necessary, supplement the employee's employment contract with an assignment contract or an addendum to the employment contract that specifies the conditions of the international project assignment.

?8.??????Be transparent

If several employees are working on international projects, they should receive comparable conditions. Set out transparently in a policy or work instruction which benefits you grant for project assignments abroad.

?9.??????Select the right employees

Not all employees are equally suited for a project assignment abroad. Create an internal application tool that employees can use to express their interest in international project assignments and pre-select potentially suitable candidates. With this HR tool, you actively manage the suitable employee population and you can activate suitable candidates from your workforce at short notice for urgent project assignments.

?10.??Return planning

Clarify well in advance how employees can be reassigned to the home company after the international project assignment. Can they return to their previous job without any problems, is a new foreign assignment planned or will the employee be assigned to a new position?

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Despite following the 10 tips for project assignments, each foreign assignment must be assessed based on the employee's personal situation, the country of assignment and the activity abroad, so that the international posting can be managed efficiently. Even with similar project assignments, the details matter to ensure that the international posting becomes a success.

Do you need more information on international assignments, work permits, and/ or global mobility? Then do not hesitate to reach out to me.

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